You feel like home to me
by Earnett Hemmingway
Summary: Rory is tired of the life she chose for herself. Now she has to decide which life she wants to lead. Upgraded to an M just to be careful, deals with mentions of abuse.
1. Running Scared

_Truncheon books was like home, even in the darkness of the night. I dragged my feet along the pavement towards the door, too tired to move with any speed after an awful night with Matt. I was a couple of yards from the door when I saw a pale figure shaking on the step, long brunette hair tangled over its face. "Erm hi?" I questioned, not sure what I should be saying, or if I should be saying anything at all._

"_Jess" came the figures voice, a voice I could recognise anywhere. I felt a stab of pain, as if someone had punched me in the gut, and then I was running towards her. "Rory, oh God Ror, what's the matter?" I searched flinging the door open and bending down to carry her inside. She made no effort to get away from my help, which was unusual for miss independent Gilmore. I almost ran upstairs with her tiny frame limp in my arms, and laid her on my bed. "Please Ror" I begged, not loosening my hold on her "Please tell me what's wrong. I can make it go away, I promise you, I can make it better. She looked up at me and I instantly knew what she needed; who she needed. I didn't know who had done this to her, I didn't know why anyone would want to, but I knew she needed her dodger._

_I woke up to whispered voices above my head, voices belonging to Matt and Chris._

"_She's hot" commented Chris "Really hot"_

"_Chris" moaned Matt "She's with Jess"_

"_For a one night thing and then she's free again, you know Jess" Chris retorted. I tightened my hold on Rory, and opened my eyes._

"_So who's this?" Chris asked eager to get to know this beauty._

"_This is Rory" I spat, allowing my voice to be filled with possession and protection._

"_The Rory?" both flatmates asked together_

"_Yes, my Rory" I confirmed, as the girl in question moved closer against me, also opening her sapphire eyes._

"_Jess?" She croaked, with tears stains on her bruised cheeks_

"_Im here Ror" _

"_Hmm" _

"_Get out you two" I whispered, stroking Rory's hair as she slowly fell asleep again. "Go to sleep baby, I'll still be here"_

_Later the same morning I was sitting in the kitchen with my laptop, furiously typing up a new chapter which I had dreamt up whilst watching Rory sleep, my beautiful Rory. I threw my head back in annoyance with the wording and noticed her standing in the door way, wearing my shirt. "I ... I'm sorry" She stammered "I didn't have anything else and my clothes were dirty." She looked as if she had just admitted a dirty secret, staring at the floor, or the window, anywhere but me. _

"_It's ok" I promised, trying to find a way to fill the silence, trying to avoid the subject which would make her cry again._

"_Come here" I suggested, holding my arms to let her sit on my lap. She slowly obliged, curling her knees into her chest as I wrapped my arms around her. For the first time she looked at me, with bloodshot, tired eyes and a shattered face, and placed a kiss on the corner of my mouth. She knew she had to say nothing to me, because her eyes gave it all away, the betrayal, the anger, the fright and most of all the pain. The pain was so great in her eyes it seemed to consume her frail body, causing it to be inescapable. I would help her, I had to help her._

"_Rory, who did this?" I whispered, as her shaking began again. She stared at my tanned hand, covering her snow white one, trying not to look at my face. Her tears fell softly against my jeans, covering the material with intricate patterns._

"_Im so sorry Jess, you shouldn't have to see me like this" she choked out between sobs._

"_Ror, please tell me"_

"_I can't Jess, he'll hurt me again if you know"_

"_He?"_

"_Yes"_

"_Ror, he can't get to you, not now not ever, I'm here and I'm never leaving"_

"_It, it was ..."_


	2. Let me in

**Disclaimer - Don't own GG so not copyright infringement intended**

"_Ror, please tell me"_

"_I can't Jess, he'll hurt me again if you know"_

"_He?"_

"_Yes"_

"_Ror, he can't get to you, not now not ever, I'm here and I'm never leaving"_

"_It … it was"_

"_Logan?" I whispered and she shook her head. "Ok Dean?" Another shake of her head to dispel that idea. "Your dad?" I sighed almost running out of names. I looked up ready for another shake of her head but as I did her eyes gave it all away. "Shit Rory, im going to kill him"_

"_No don't, please don't. He didn't mean to, he was just drunk and I was in the way. You need to stay here, with me. Please don't Jess"_

"_Drunk, in the way, Rory what did he do to you?"_

"_He didn't mean to Jess so it doesn't matter does it. It wasn't his fault"_

"_Rory tell me"_

"_It wasn't his fault"_

"_Ror" I asked so softly that I could barely hear it. _

"_He hit me, but he was drunk he didn't know what he was doing. He threw a glass at the wall because he got so angry and I got in the way. He didn't mean it to hit me, his aim was off. He didn't know what he was doing Jess. It wasn't his fault"_

"_You think being drunk makes abusing his daughter ok?"_

"_He wouldn't have done it if he was sober, he never did it when he was sober"_

"_There is no excuse for this Ror, absolutely none."_

"_Yes there is, he didn't mean to do it. If you don't mean to do it then you can't be blamed for it"_

"_I need to see the bruises Ror, I need to check if you're ok"_

"_How can you?"_

"_I remember my mum being abused, I know how to care for you"_

"_Please don't be disgusted, please don't leave me Jess"_

"_Never, I could never be disgusted do you hear me?" I half shouted hoping to get through to her. It must have worked as she stood up and let my shirt fall from her curves. Dark purple bruises covered her skin, mapping out the misplaced trust, and the tears, and the pain. Bruises were accompanied by scars, presumably caused by the glass he "didn't" mean to throw at her. One of the scars was longer than the others and I reached out to run my finger along it _

_"What happened when you got this one sweet?" I asked, half expecting her not to answer at all._

_"The long one? That was when I tried to tell my mom. I didn't want to get him into trouble, I just wanted the pain to stop and him to be my dad again. You know?"_

_"No" I whispered shaking my head "I honestly have no idea."  
_


End file.
